Structures for testing circuits and methods for fabricating the structures

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention is a structure useful for testing circuits that includes: (a) a substrate having contactors on a first side and pads on a second side; (b) a card having pads on a first side; (c) an interconnector that electrically connects the pads on the second side of the substrate with the pads on the card, the interconnector comprising a connector-holder comprised of electrical connectors having first and second retractable ends that are extendable out of a first and second side of the connector-holder, respectively, wherein the first retractable ends contact pads on the substrate, and the second retractable ends contact pads on the card; and (d) a clamp that is adapted to fit over the substrate and the connector-holder, the clamp having an opening to provide access to the contactors, and which clamp is connected to the card.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A structure useful for testing circuits that comprises: 
 a substrate having contactors on a first side and pads on a second side;    a card having pads on a first side;    an interconnector that electrically connects the pads on the second side of the substrate with the pads on the card, the interconnector comprising a connector-holder comprised of electrical connectors having first and second retractable ends that are extendable out of a first and second side of the connector-holder, respectively, wherein the first retractable ends contact pads on the substrate, and the second retractable ends contact pads on the card; and    a clamp that is adapted to fit over the substrate and the connector-holder, the clamp having an opening to provide access to the contactors, and which clamp is connected to the card.    
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the clamp is connected to the card through the connector-holder.  
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the clamp has a lip that is adapted to fit over two or more edges of the substrate.  
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the electrical connectors is a Pogo pin.  
     
     
         5 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the substrate has bevels in at least two edges.  
     
     
         6 . The structure of  claim 5  wherein the clamp further includes a lip that is adapted to fit over the bevels.  
     
     
         7 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the contactors are disposed in an area on the first side of the substrate, and the pads on the substrate are disposed outside of a projection of the area to the second side of the substrate; and  
 the structure further comprises a compliant substance disposed on the second side within the projected area.  
 
     
     
         8 . The structure of  claim 7  wherein the compliant substance contacts the connector-holder.  
     
     
         9 . The structure of  claim 7  wherein the compliant substance contacts the card through an aperture in the connector-holder.  
     
     
         10 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the connector-holder comprises a connector-holder bottom plate and a connector-holder top plate, which connector-holder bottom plate and which connector-holder top plate are connected to each other to retain the electrical connectors therebetween.  
     
     
         11 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the connector-holder is connected to the card, and the clamp is connected to the connector-holder; and 
 wherein the clamp comprises a substrate alignment mechanism.  
 
     
     
         12 . The structure of  claim 11  wherein the substrate has bevels in at least two edges.  
     
     
         13 . The structure of  claim 12  wherein the substrate further comprises grooves in the beveled edges.  
     
     
         14 . The structure of  claim 12  wherein the substrate alignment mechanism comprises one or more laterally movable structures which have lips that are disposed to cover at least a portion of the beveled edges of the substrate.  
     
     
         15 . The structure of  claim 13  wherein the substrate alignment mechanism comprises one or more laterally movable structures which have lips that are disposed to cover at least a portion of the beveled edges of the substrate and wherein the lips are adapted to engage one or more of the grooves in the beveled edges.  
     
     
         16 . The structure of  claim 11  wherein the substrate is one of: a rigid substrate, a flex substrate, a semi-flex substrate, a silicon substrate, and a glass substrate.  
     
     
         17 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the clamp is connected to the card; and 
 wherein the clamp comprises a substrate alignment mechanism and a connector-holder alignment mechanism.  
 
     
     
         18 . The structure of  claim 17  wherein the substrate has bevels in at least two edges.  
     
     
         19 . The structure of  claim 18  wherein the substrate further comprises grooves in the beveled edges.  
     
     
         20 . The structure of  claim 18  wherein the substrate alignment mechanism comprises one or more laterally movable structures which have lips that are disposed to cover at least a portion of the beveled edges of the substrate.  
     
     
         21 . The structure of  claim 19  wherein the substrate alignment mechanism comprises one or more laterally movable structures which have lips that are disposed to cover at least a portion of the beveled edges of the substrate and wherein the lips are adapted to engage one or more of the grooves in the beveled edges.